No big, no problem: 10 Takeaways from Celtics/Magic

#1 This dunk changed the pace of the game

The Boston Celtics came out of the gates slowly. Without Kirstaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, it was clear they would need to play at a higher pace than usual. After a few minutes of feeling the game out, Jaylen Brown turned on the jets and exploded with this dunk.

From that moment forward, Boston had control in terms of pace, forcing the Orlando Magic to match their style of play, which led to some exciting basketball on both sides.

#2 Payton Pritchard thrives in fast-paced games

Hands down, this was Payton Pritchard’s best game of the season. He thrives when the Celtics are looking to run the floor and attack with early offense. Pritchard went 6-for-7 from deep, dished out 5 assists, and grabbed three rebounds.

His presence off the bench was another factor in the Celtics establishing their game plan early. Interestingly, he did all of his work from the corner, with most of his makes coming on the left side of the floor.

What I liked was how patient Pritchard looked. He didn’t waste his movements and ensured he was always available to receive a pass once the defense collapsed.

Here is a drive and dish from Brown. He comes off a stagger screen and attacks the paint, drawing multiple Magic defenders as they look to defend the rim. Pritchard remains patient and stays in his spot, providing a catch-and-shoot release valve for Brown.

We see a similar situation in the following play between Sam Hauser and Prtichard.

Again, Pritchard stays in his spot. There are no angle changes in terms of the ball-handler’s position, so there’s no need to lift out of the corner. As such, Hauser has an easy pass to Pritchard as the defense closes in on him, creating another easy catch-and-shoot look to put another three points on the board.

When Pritchard is converting his three-point looks, the rest of his game seems to open up, and the confidence begins to flow. When he plays like he did on Friday, he is more than capable of being the primary bench guard on a contending team.

#3 Jaylen Brown’s dunkathon

Brown was a game-time decision for the Celtics coaching staff. He was questionable earlier in the day due to a hyperextension of his right knee. However, he didn’t let any lingering issues affect his game. In fact, Brown leaned on his explosivness to continually uplift his team.

He threw down three dunks throughout the game. We’ve already seen the first one. Here are the other two.

Brown…